Universities' finances are under stress

24 Sep 2024 | News

After facing pandemic, wars and inflation, European universities get together in October for the first time in six years, to discuss future funding strategies

Thomas Estermann, director for governance, funding and public policy development at the European University Association (EUA). Photo credits: European Union

As Europe has faced crisis after crisis in recent years, its universities have been dealing with the impact. The pandemic brought major changes to learning; research priorities have shifted to accommodate emerging needs; geopolitics have transformed international cooperation in science; and inflation has pushed up overheads.

In Poland, the arrival of war refugees from Ukraine led to changes in the country’s higher education system. In Austria, universities saw a rise in funding, but inflation has hollowed out these bigger budgets, and some fear it may leave little to show in increased achievements.

It’s not a dire situation, but it’s a challenging one, says Thomas Estermann, director for governance, funding and public policy development at the European University Association (EUA).<…